Systematic Rape and Sexual Assaults Continue in the Democratic Republic of Congo

By Gabie Hart

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) women continue to be brutally raped and sexually assaulted. The perpetrators of these atrocities are combatants from approximately 20 armed factions who are victimizing and instilling terror on women.

These perpetrators terrorize the civilian population in the DRC with attacks occurring just about anywhere, whether it is out walking the streets, working in fields, or in the home. The frequency and locations in which these acts occur, engenders a feeling of insecurity.

Most recently, a Congolese human rights worker, Justine Masika Bihamba, who informs others around the world of what happens to women in the DRC, found herself at the center of these horrendous acts. Her daughters were brutally assaulted by an armed gang who broke into their home. Apparently, Bihamba had narrowly escaped being attacked herself. One of the perpetrators was recognized as being a colonel for a security force, but he was not arrested. It is alleged that his guards said “‘Madame Justine is not more special than the other persons’ they kill in Goma.”

Women who are speaking out about these atrocities are now discovering that their families are targets of these inhumane actions. The perpetrators of these despicable crimes are receiving impunity for their atrocious acts of violence.

In some instances the women who are targeted are kidnapped and then held for long periods of time—usually until they manage to escape or are killed. They are held in huts as well as in the forest, and wake up each day knowing that they will yet again be forced to perform domestic labor, such as cooking, cleaning, and will quite possibly be either raped, beaten, or both.

Due to this form of imprisonment, lack of health care access becomes an issue. Some of these women become pregnant, and if there are complications, these women have no where to turn for help. Miscarriages may occur, and sometimes these women lose their lives from pregnancy-related complications.

Women who are released immediately after the rape occurs often suffer physical injuries. In some situations, the perpetrators use sharp objects to mutilate and torture these women. Proper health care needs to be received by these women who suffer physical injuries, including destruction of internal organs, internal bleeding, pregnancy, and some need to be treated for HIV as sometimes the attackers are HIV positive. Since many of these women do not have access to proper health care, as there is an inadequate number of hospitals and clinics, further affliction is endured.

The suffering of these women does not cease once the physical brutality stops. Instead, these women have to deal with the not only the physical injuries but also the psychological impact-which may last a lifetime. This is especially true in situations where the rape occurs in front of family members, and in some instances other members of the family are murdered right in front of the woman immediately before of after she is raped. Something needs to be done to ensure these acts cease, that proper physical and emotional care is received, and that these perpetrators do not continue to receive impunity.

Sources:

Amnesty International, Democratic Republic of Congo: Mass Rape – Time for Remedies, October 26 2004, available at http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engafr620182004.

Olivia Ward, Activist Who Spoke in T.O. of Sadistic Sex Attacks Plaguing Nation Sees Latest Victims – Her Daughters, The Star, October 12, 2007, available at http://www.thestar.com/article/266129.

Human Rights Watch, Sexual Violence in the Congo War: A Continuing Crime, available at http://hrw.org/reports/2005/drc0305/4.htm#_Toc96844248.